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Modern Day Leadership

Hersey-Blanchard theory of situation is based on the amount of direction (task behavior) and the amount of social-emotional support (relationship behavior) a leader must provide given the situation occurred and the level of “maturity” followers.

Leadership Courses at Global Training Institute assist you in Leadership Development. Become more effective in your leadership. Task behavior is the extent to which the leader to engage in specified roles and responsibilities of the person or group. This action is to tell people what to do, how, when and with whom to do it. Task manager will conduct a one-way communication.

Relationship behavior is the extent to which the leader is dedicated to two lanes or multi-way communications. This includes listening, facilitating and promoting behaviors. Behavior in relation to the leader engages in two-way communication by providing socio-emotional support.

Maturity is the willingness and ability of a person to take responsibility for guiding their behavior. People tend to have varying degrees of maturity, depending on the task, function or objective that the leader seeks to achieve through their efforts.

To determine the appropriate leadership style to use in a given situation, leaders must first determine the maturity level of their followers in a relationship with the specific task you are trying to achieve through their efforts. As the level of followers’ maturity increases, leaders must begin to reduce their work behavior and increase the behavior of the relationship until the increase of the followers’ maturity reach to moderate level. As the followers begin to move into higher level of maturity, the leaders should decrease task behavior and relationship behavior.

Once the maturity level is identified, the appropriate leadership style can be determined.

There are four styles of leadership

• Delegation to subordinates

• Participates with subordinates

• Sell ideas to subordinates

• Tell subordinates what to do

High task/low relationship behavior (S1) are called “telling”. Leader provides clear guidance and specific direction. Telling style is more suited with a low follower readiness level.

High task/high relationship behavior (S2) is called “selling”. Leader encourages two-way communication and helps build confidence and motivation of the employee, even if the leader always has the responsibility and decision-making control. Selling style is best matched with a moderate follower readiness level.

High relation/low task behavior (S3) is designated as “participants”. With this style, leaders shares decision-making with followers and no longer need or except relationship to be directive. Participating style is best matched with a moderate follower readiness level.

Low relationship/low task behavior (S4) is labeled “delegate”, this style is appropriate for leaders whose followers and ready to perform a particular task and are both competent and motivated to take full responsibility. Style of delegation is best matched with a high follower readiness level.

Carlos suggested that a leader must consider four groups of factors in any situation, as follows:

  • Leader – preferred style, directional or supportive
  • Task – the nature of the work and its objectives.
  • Environment – the dominance of the leader in the organization and relationship with the group.
  • The wizard – their preferred style in light of the circumstances.

The environment can be improved if:

  • Leaders are given a clear role and power
  • Organization “standards” can be broken
  • The organizational structure is not rigid
  • Subject to the group all have the same quality or type
  • Staff turnover is reduced, including keeping managers in their work for a reasonable period.

“Best” approach argues that there is no such thing as  “right” style of leadership, but effective leadership comes to balancing a need for managers, subordinates and the task and make sure you adapt to the environment.

In the first three, if these factors, Handy creates a spectrum ranging from “tight” to “flexible.”

This approach is recognized as a very “broad-bush.” In every organization there are special circumstances, there are also people who do not want to be developed or improved their employment.

One researcher found that the operators in a cheap perfume factory were content just to work almost automatically. In addition, we can be ambitious, or there may be flux.

– Khuram Munir.

If you would like to know more about leadership styles, you might be interested in the leadership courses offered by Global Training Institute including the Leadership and Influence Short Course and accredited qualifications. The Diploma of Management (Leadership) will equip you to not only manage effectively, but know how to effectively lead people within your organisation. Global Training Institute is a Registered Training Organisation and offers a broad range of qualifications. If you would like more information about effective leadership, please contact us.